Food applicator

ABSTRACT

A conveyor for the bases includes a plurality of parallel longitudinally spaced tined shafts which are simultaneously rotated to carry the pizza bases through the food-depositing stations. The tines on adjacent shafts are offset and overlapped to minimize the spacing therebetween. The open structure defined by the tined supports provides an open structure to permit removal and/or recovery of the excess food. The sauce applicator includes a pressurized sauce spray head located within an open bottom enclosure mounted above the tined conveyor and includes a fluid activated cleaning pin to prevent clogging of the nozzle. The meat applicator includes a transfer belt which is cooled and a rotating metering means to drop selected amounts of grated meat upon the bases.

u s1 3,682,106 [4 1 Aug. 8, 1972 United States Patent Kuhlman [s41 FOODAPPLICATOR I Harvey G K H N56 W214 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest [72]Inventor:

Silver Spring Road Menomonee V Attorney-Andrus,Sceales, Starke&SawallFalls, Wis.

ABSTRACT A conveyor for the bases includes a lel longitudinall taneousl[22] Filed: April 27,1970

8 p plicator includes a transfer belt which is cooled and a rotatingmetering means to dro grated meat upon the bases.

plurality of paraly spaced tined shafts which are simuly rotated tocarry the pizza bases through the food-depositing stations. The tines onadjacent shafts are offset and overlapped to minimize the spacingtherebetween. The open structure defined by the tined supports providesan open structure to permit removal and/or recovery of the excess food.The sauce applicator includes a pressurized sauce spray head locatedwithin an open bottom enclosure mounted above the tined conveyor andincludes a fluid activated cleanin pin to prevent clogging of thenozzle. The meat a p selected amounts of 9/08 ..l07/1 R, l A, 1 B, l E,7, 107/7 B, 7 C; 198/127; 222/149 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,368,501 2/ 1968 Kuhlmam 2,883,172 2,614,885 Roell et al 2,980,2372,099,224

4/1961 McCloy... 11/1937 Paxton.....

7Clainm,9Drawingfigum PATENTEDM 8 I972 SHEU 1 BF 2 VINVE Attorneys TOR.HARVEY G. KUHLMAN PATENTEDAUB 1912 3582.106

/46 INVENTOR.

HARVEY G. KUHLMAN Attorneys BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a food-depositing apparatus and particularly to an automaticmeans, and apparatus for applying or depositing ingredients upon a basemember such as pizza material upon a pizza crust or base. The manualprocessing of pizza, particularly for frozen pizza which is sold throughgrocery stores and the like, is relatively time-consuming and expensive.Further, quality control is extremely difficult to obtain with themanual application and processing. A highly satisfactory, automaticpizza-forming apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,501 whichwas issued to Harvey G. Kuhlman on Feb. 13, 1968. As more fullydisclosed in such patent, an automatic apparatus is provided forsequentially applying the various materials to a pizza base includingautomatic application of sauce, meat, shredded cheese and the like. Theillustrated embodiment of that patent includes an open transferapparatus in the form of laterally spaced belts for transfer of thematerial through the sauce applicator and the shredded cheeseapplicator. The open structure is desirable in allowing excess materialto drop through the transfer apparatus for recovery and the like.

SUMMARY OF PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is particularlydirected to an improvement in the food-distributing apparatus such asshown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,501 and, in particular, to an improvedtransfer means forming a part of the apparatus for supporting of thebases or the like while permitting excess material to drop through to asuitable recovery means. Generally, in accordance with the presentinvention, a plurality of spoked or tined supports define a transfermeans for transferring of the pizza bases or the like through the fooddepositing units.

In the preferred construction, the several tined parts are formed of asuitable stainless steel or the like to permit ready cleaning thereof. Aplurality of spaced shaft supports extend between a pair of longitudinalframe members. Each of the shafts is provided with a plurality oflaterally spaced tine groups with each group similarly circumferentiallydistributed about the shaft. The tined groups on the respective adjacentshafts are offset and overlapped to minimize the spacing between thetined groups and thereby provide a convenient support for pizza basesand the like. The shafts are coupled to a suitable drive such as acommon chain drive and continuously rotated in a corresponding directionto continuously move the transfer bases through the appropriatefood-depositing units. In particular, the open structure defined by thetined supports is adapted to incorporation into the sauce applicatorand/or the cheese applicator to provide the open structure immediatelyin the applicating area to permit removal and/or recovery of the excessfood deposited upon the passing bases.

In a highly improved structure, the sauce applicator includes apressurized sauce spray head located within an open bottom enclosuremounted above the tined transfer means. A sauce recovery means isdisposed beneath the sauce applicating enclosure. The spray head ispreferably provided with a fluid cleaning means to prevent clogging ofthe nozzle, such as an airoperated piston cleaner. The spray headdeposits predetermined amounts of sauce across the transfer means forapplication in proper timed relation to the piua bases. The excess sauceis recovered by the recovery means for recycling and reapplication tosubsequent pina bases. The tined transfer means extends from the sauceapplicator to the infeed end of the shredded cheese applicator and formsa part thereof which may otherwise generally correspond to that of theKuhlman patent. The meat applicator is preferably similar in structureto that disclosed of the cheese applicator construction shown in theKuhlman U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,501 or the like, where the bases are toreceive a predetermined quantity of distributed grated meat. In the meatapplicator, means are provided to cool the grated meat and improve themetering thereof. The present invention has been found to provide ahighly reliable means for transferring of the bases and depositing ofhighly accurately metered amounts of sauce, cheese or the like, whilepermitting convenient recovery of the excess material. The tinedtransfer structure, particularly when made of stainless steel or otherreadily cleaned material, permits convenient cleaning of the apparatuswith a hose or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showingthe overall construction of the improved pizza-forming apparatusincorporating the subject matter of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section through a portionof the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and, in particular, showing theimproved transfer construction and the sauce applicator;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of one of the transfer elements shown inFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the sauce applicator shown inFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the cheese feeder shown in FIGS.1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the cheese feeder shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the cheese feeder; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the meat applicator shown inFIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the invention isillustrated in connection with a pizzaforming apparatus, including asauce applicator I mounted to the infeed end of a cheese applicator 2,which is essentially constructed in accordance with the teaching of theKuhlman U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,501, and a meat applicator 3 mounted to theoutfeed end of applicator 2. An infeed pizza base belt 3a is mounted tothe input side of the sauce applicator 1 and is adapted to transfer aplurality of pizza bases 4 as an aligned row into the sauce applicator.If desired, of course, single pizzas can be sequentially fed through thesauce applicator l and the cheese applicator 2. The advantage ofproviding the side-by-side construction, of course, is to substantiallyincrease the production rate. The pizza bases 4 are passed through theapplicators 1, 2 and 3 to receive metered amounts of sauce, cheese andmeat, respectively, and removed through a suitable transfer belt fromthe discharge end of the meat applicator 3. The infeed belt 3 and thedischarge belt 5 are thus disposed to the opposite ends of the foodapplicating means of the apparatus and may be formed as generally flat,continuous surfaced belts to transfer the pizza bases 4 to and from theapplicating units. The belts 3a and 5, as well as the other exposedelements of the apparatus, are preferably formed of a stainless steel orthe like to permit convenient and ready cleaning thereof. The pizzabases 4 are transferred through the food applicating portions of theapparatus 5 by similarly constructed special conveyor or transfer means6 and 6a aligned with the food depositing areas and particularly formsan important improvement in accordance with the present invention.

More particularly, the conveyor or transfer means 6 and 6a include aplurality of similar tined rotating supports 7 which are longitudinallyspaced to define an improved open conveyance structure for carrying ofthe pizza bases 4 through the sauce applicator 1, the infeed end ofcheese applicator 2 and the meat applicator 3, in the illustratedembodiment, for receiving of the respective food materials. The transfermeans 6 extends through the sauce applicator 1 and the infeed end of thecheese applicator 2 while the similar transfer means 60 extends throughthe meat applicator 3.

Generally, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention, the tined rotating supports 7 are journaled within spacedside frame members or units 8, suitably supported above ground level.Each of the rotating supports 7 is similarly constructed and includes asupporting shaft 9 secured at the opposite ends in suitable, rotatingbearings 10 mounted respectively in the side frame units 8. The one endof the shaft 9 extends through the frame unit 8 and into a generallyclosed drive housing 11. A sprocket and chain drive unit 12 is coupledto eachend of the shafts 9 within the housing 11 to provide forsimultaneous and corresponding rotation of the shafts 9. The chain driveunit 12 may be coupled to a suitable drive pulley or the like, notshown, which, in turn, is coupled to and driven in synchronism with themain drive system for the belts 3a and 5. If desired, of course, anyother suitable independent or separate drive can be provided for therotation of the supports 7.

As most clearly shown in FIG. 4, each of the rotating supports 7includes groups of tines or-prongs 14' secured to the shaft 9 with eachgroup including a plurality of individual tines or prongsequicircumferentially distributed about the shaft 9. Thus, in theillustrated embodiment of the invention, six equicircumferentiallyspaced tines 14 are secured to the shaft and define sequentiallypresented engaging ends to the pizza bases. The tine groups 14 inadjacent rotating support 7 are axially offset midway between adjacentgroups of the adjacent support, as shown in FIG. 2. Further, the shaftsare longitudinally spaced and the length of the tines 14 are such thatthe tines of adjacent supports 7 overlap, as shown in FIG. 3 at 15. Thismaintains an open structure while minimizing the space or openingsbetween adjacent supports and providing and improved continuous supportfor the pizza bases 4. Thus, there is not a continuous groove-likedepression formed in the supporting or transfer means 6 between thebelts 3a and 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the infeed belt 30 is mounted on a pulley 16adjacent the transfer means 6 and thus the supporting surface is spacedfrom the tine supports 7. The gap therebetween is shown closed by acoupling rollers 17 rotatably mounted within the side frames and coupledthrough to the chain drive unit 12 of the tine supports 7. A fixedpronged spacing unit 18 is secured between the frame members andincludes a plurality of supporting pins 19 extending toward the infeedbelt. Glass, plastic or similar smooth surface fingers 20 are secured tothe pins and project forwardly with the underside of the fingers 2t)tapered and extended into essentially sliding engagement with the belt3. This provides a continuous rod-like support from the belt 3 to thecoupling rollers 17 from which the pizza bases are transferred to therotating tined supports 7.

The opposite end of the transfer end may be similarly constructed totransfer the pizza bases from the transfer means 6 to an intermediatedischarge belt 21, forming a part of the cheese applicator 2 andcarrying of the pizza bases 4 therethrough and depositing them upon theinfeed end of the transfer means 6a for passage through the meatapplicator 3.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the sauce applicatorincludes an upper enclosure or hood 22 generally in the form of an opentop and bottom tubular housing or enclosure which extends completelyacross the leading end portion of transfer means 6. A two-pieceremovable top cover 23 is provided to enclose the discharge end of asauce applicating gun 24. The bottom of the hood 22 is completely openand allows transfer of sauce 25 from the nozzle 26 of gun 24 to thepizza bases as they move beneath the hood 22. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention, the gun 24 is secured by a suitable braceor support 27 to the front wall of the hood 22 to generally, centrallylocate the gun 24. The gun extends through the two-piece top cover 23with the lower end interconnected to a pressurized sauce source line 28.The gun 24 is mounted within the housing with the discharge nozzle 26directed toward the open bottom. This directs the sauce downwardly ontothe pizza bases 4 to insure an even application of the sauce onto therespective bases 4 as they pass beneath the bottom opening of the saucehood or enclosure 22. A recovery unit shown as a pan 29 is mountedimmediately below the transfer means 6 in alignment with the bottomopening of the enclosure 22 to recover any of the sauce material whichfalls through the transfer means 6. The pan 29 may be part of anautomatic sauce recycling means, part of a wheel truck unit, or thelike, for removal and return to the source.

The gun 24 is a suitable pressure operated unit wherein the sauce 25 isforced through a main feed opening 27a in the nozzle 26 under a selectedpressure and is distributed downwardly and laterally across the transfersupport to properly deposit a uniform layer of a preselected amount ofsauce upon bases 4 as they move through the hood 22. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention, the gun 24 is generally an elongatedCylindrical unit having the nozzle 26 at the lower end and the saucehose 28 secured to the unit immediately adjacent the nozzle 26. As mostclearly shown in FIG. 5, the gun 24 includes an air cylinder piston 30secured to the outer end of sauce gun 24. The piston shaft extendsthrough gun 24 and terminates in a cleaning pin 31 aligned with thesauce opening 27a. A fluid pressure source line 32 is connected to theunit 30. A control valve 33 selectively connects the line to a highpressure source, not shown, to force the piston assembly forwardly withpin 31 moving through opening 27a under a sufficient pressure todislodge any hardened sauce. If the nozzle 26 should therefore becomeclogged by dried sauce or the like, the operator can readily clean andopen the nozzle 26 by momentary application of pressure to line 32 tomove the pin 31 through the opening 27a and positively discharge anyclogging sauce.

Thus, as the pizza bases 4 move into the enclosure, the sauce 25 isapplied. The sauce covered pizza bases 4 are then moved by thecontinuous tined transfer means 6 into the cheese applicator 2, which isgenerally constructed as shown in the Kuhlman US. Pat. No. 3,368,501 andwhich is only briefly described herein. In the illustrated embodiment,an endless cheese metering belt 34 is mounted longitudinally of andimmediately above a transfer belt 35 extending between the trailing endof the transfer means 6 and the leading ends of transfer means 6a. Theshredded cheese 36 is deposited as spaced mounds on the upper surface ofthe cheese metering belt 34. Where the cheese is deposited in a mound,as shown, a single distributing tine 36a may be mounted to movelaterally across the belt and distribute the cheese. A pneumaticcylinder unit 36b is shown coupled to drive the tine 360. A tinedmetering element or unit 37 is mounted immediately above the dischargeend of the cheese metering belt 34 and a rake or smoothing means 38 isprovided forwardly thereof to provide for continuous spreading andmetering of selected amounts of cheese from the cheese belt onto thepizza bases 4 in accordance with the rotation of the belt 34 and thetined metering means 37. Thus, as the pizza bases 4 pass beneath theinfeed end of the cheese belt 34, they are supported by the trailing endof the transfer means 6 which forms the input end of cheese applicator2. The shredded cheese 36 is deposited on the sauce-covered bases 4 asthey move beneath the input end of the belt 35 with any excess cheesefreely passing downwardly through the tined transfer means 6 and onto arecovery means such as an accumulator pan, a transferring conveyor orthe like.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a vertical shield 39 issecured to the forward end of the cheese applicator 2. The shield 39 isa plate-like member which extends from immediately above the plane ofthe transfer means 6 and extends upwardly with the upper end suitablysupported to the cheese applicator framework. The shield 39 prevents theshredded cheese from being thrown into the sauce unit 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an improved cheeserecovery and supply system is illustrated for use in connection with agravity-depositing cheese applicator or the like. Generally, a stainlesssteel recovery belt 40 is mounted extending transversely of the cheeseapplicator and immediately beneaththe cheese-depositing infeed endthereof in FIGS. 1 and 2. The recovery belt 40 is continuously revolvedin synchronism with the operation of the cheese applicator through aseparate or common drive system. The shredded cheese which fallsdownwardly between the tined supports 7 is carried by the recovery belt40 laterally outwardly from the cheese applicator 2. The outer end ofthe recovery belt 40 overlies the lower end of a cheese supply conveyingbelt 41 which extends from beneath the recovery belt 40 upwardly andterminates in overlying relationship to the upper end of the main cheeseapplicator 2. This provides for automatic recovery and recycling of anyexcess cheese deposited and passed through the support. This same feedsystem is employed to supply shredded cheese from a special cheeseshredding apparatus which includes a cheese supply unit 43 and a cheesegrater 44 adapted to shred blocks of cheese and deposit them upon thetransfer and recovery belt 40.

As most clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cheese supply unit isgenerally a rectangular, open-top slide member 45 which extendsdownwardly from above the upper end of the cheese grater 44 to the floorlevel. The upper end of the slide 45 is open to permit transfer ofcheese therefrom into the grater 44. An encircling support collar 46 isslidably mounted encircling the slide 45 as such. A plate 47 is hingedto the upper collar portion or bar 48 spanning the open top as by hinge49 and depends downwardly therefrom into the slide 45 and spans thedistance between the side walls. The hinge 49 is constructed for one-waymovement which permits the plate to pivot upwardly in a counterclockwisedirection from the normal depending position. A stop member 50 securedto the top bar is located behind the plate to prevent it from pivotingupwardly in a clockwise direction. Appropriate blocks of cheese 51 aredeposited within the slide 45 with the collar 46 retracted, and with theplate 47 depending downwardly into the slide. A hydraulic piston unit 52or the like is coupled to the bottom arm of the collar 46 and actuatedto move upwardly, thereby moving the plate 48 into engagement with andforcing the cheese blocks 51 upwardly and through the upper end of theslide 45.

The upper end of the slide 45 is provided with an automatic cheeseslicer shown including upper and lower support bars 53 and 54 secured tothe top and bottom of the slide. A cutting wire 55 is threaded throughthe bars to define a plurality of laterally spaced cutting elements.Thus, as the block of cheese SI is forced upwardly through the upper endof the cheese slide 45, the wire 55 defines an automatic cutting meanswhich automatically cuts block 51 into a plurality of relatively smallstrips. The cut cheese is fed by gravity into the cheese grater 44 forreducing the cut cheese to the desired shredded cheese condition. Theshredded cheese is passed to the recovery belt 40 and fed therefrom tothe supply conveying belt 41 for transfer to the cheese applicator 2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hinged plate 47allows the loading of the slide 45 during the terminal portion of thefeeding of the block 51 into the grater 44. Thus, with the collar andplate 47 moved upwardly toward the upper end of the slide 45, new blocksof cheese may be deposited in the lower end of the slide 45. As mostclearly shown in FIG. 8, a stop wall or member 56 protrudes from theside walls of slide 45 to support the cheese blocks 51. The width ofplate 47 is less than the width of the slide 45 to move freely past themembers 56. When the collar 46 is retracted, the hinged plate 47 willpivot upwardly and pass over and past the cheese blocks, then pivotsdownwardly to pick up the next group of blocks 51' The stroke ormovement of the plate 47 is approximately one-half of the length of theslide 45. Spring loaded and pivotally mounted stop walls 57 are securedwithin openings 58 in the sidewalls of the slide 45 at the midpoint. Thewalls 57 have cammed or angled surfaces 59 projecting into the path ofthe upwardly moving blocks. The leading cheese block 51, therefore,pivots the stop wall 57 outwardly to allow free passage of the cheeseblocks 51. The hinged plate 47 is slightly spaced from the sidewall andallows the stop wall 57 to pivot outwardly behind the cheese block 51immediately adjacent the plate 47. In operation, the plate 47 is movedupwardly to locate the last cheese block 51 in front of the stop wall,retracted to pick up the next group of cheese blocks, and then movedupwardly to again force the previously located blocks 51 outwardlythrough the cutting wires 55. This has been found to provide a verysimple, reliable and economical means for continuous feeding of thecheese into the applicator as required.

The shredded cheese is continuously applied to the pizza bases 4 in veryaccurately metered amounts and the covered bases are carried therefromby the transfer means through the cheese applicator 2 and into the meatapplicator 3. The meat applicator 3 may be constructed in any desiredmanner, such as shown in applicants issued US. Pat. No. 3,368,501. Inthe illustrated embodiment of the invention, an alternative and novelmeat applicator is shown for applying shredded or granulated meat whichhas been partially or wholly cooked. The meat applicator 3 includes anupper endless conveyor belt 60 overlying pizza base transfer conveyance6a. The belt 60 is preferably a continuous stainless steel belt mountedon a pair of axially spaced pulleys 61. The meat is deposited thereon asa wholly or partially cooked ground or granulated meat 62 from asuitable pressurized meat source 63, such as a positive displacementpump feeding a hopper. The granulated meat extends laterally across thestainless steel belt 60 and is carried therefrom toward the infeed endof the meat applicator 3. The meat 62 is applied by gravity and aspecial metering unit from the forward end of the belt 60 onto the pizzabases 4 as they pass therebeneath.

In accordance with the illustrated construction, the meat 63 is providedat a relatively elevated temperature to permit convenient pumping ortransfer of the meat 63 onto the conveyor belt 60. Suitable coolingmeans are provided to cool the meat 63 as it is transferred forwardly tothe discharge end of the conveyor. Cooling plates 64 and 65 are shownabove and below the belt to provide for cooling of the meat 63 as itpasses therebetween. For example, the cooling plates 64 and 65 may besuitable sealed brine plates or apertured plates interconnected to asuitable source of cold air or other fluid with nozzles for directingthe cold air to the opposite sides of the belt. In the latter, thebottom plate 65 would provide a continuous stream of cooling air to theunderside of the belt 60, while the upper plate 64 would provide acontinuous blanket of cooling air directed downwardly over the meat 63carried thereby.

At the forward end of the meat applicator 3, a special feeding andmetering unit 66 is mounted and includes a smooth surfaced roller ordrum 67 which is rotatably mounted. Drum 67 rotates with the portionadjacent belt 60, moving in the same direction as belt 60 andestablishes a selected leveling of the meat on the belt 60.

As most clearly shown in FIG. 9, the feeding and metering unit 66further includes a pair of oppositely rotating and overlapping bladed ortined metering members or beaters 68 and 69. The metering heaters 68 and69 are located immediately forwardly of the leveling drum 67 and withthe overlapping portion slightly forwardly of the forwardmost end of theendless belt 60. The beater 68 adjacent the drum 67 is only slightlyspaced from the belt 60 and rotates in the opposite direction. Thebeater 68 includes a plurality of closely spaced blades or tines,similar to the cheese applicator or conveyor 6 and picks up thegranulated meat 62 and carries it around into the other beater 69. Thesecond beater 69 is located slightly lower than the first beater, andmeshes with it. The tines of the beaters 68 and 69 are offset axially ofeach other, similar to the tined supports 7 and the second beater 69rotates at a higher speed. In an actual unit, the second beater 69rotated at twice the speed of the first. The granulated meat 62 is thusleveled by the drum 67 and removed by the first beater 68 and carriedaround and at least partially transferred to the second beater 69 to bedeposited as a free-falling column 70 of granulated meat spaced slightlyfrom the forward end of belt 60, as most clearly shown in FIG. 9.Applicant has found that this permits accurate metering of thegranulated or ground meat.

The structure further is improved by heating of the leveling drum 67 tominimize the adhesion of the meat. In the drawing, a core electricalheater 71 is shown within drum 67. Further, a cleaning blade 72 issecured in sliding engagement with the surface of the drum 67immediately above the first beater 68 to remove any meat adhering to thedrum. Similarly, a cleaning blade 73 is shown secured in slidingengagement with the forward end portion of belt 60 to remove any meatadhering thereto.

The shredded meat thus falls on the bases 4 as they pass beneath thefalling meat column. The meat that passes between the bases may berecovered in any suitable or desired manner. For example, an augerconveyor 74 may be mounted beneath the bed 6A to collect and convey therecovered meat from beneath the tined bed 6a for subsequent application.The augertype conveyor may be employed for meat and, if desired,directly return the material to the meat supply 63 or belt 60.

In this manner, the pizza bases, after receiving the sauce and cheese,are provided with an accurately controlled and predetermined amount ofgrated meat with the completed pizzas passing from the meat applicatorand onto the discharge belt from which they may be passed directly to asuitably final processing and packaging unit, such as a water-filmapplicator, a blast freezer and the like.

The present invention thus provides a highly improved food-depositingapparatus particularly adapted for the formation of frozen pizzas andthe like. The apparatus essentially eliminates the manual laborassociated with the formation of pizzas and permits relatively highquantity production.

The present invention has particularly been found to provide a highlyimproved and reliable system for supporting and transferring of thepizza bases or the like through food depositing units 1 and 2 at acontrolled, uniform speed while permitting convenient and economicalcleaning of the apparatus.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims which particularly point outand distinctly claim the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a distributing apparatus for distributing food produces and thelike upon relatively flat base members, a rotatable mounting means, afeed conveyor including a plurality of spaced tined support meanslongitudinally spaced along said feed conveyor defining a basesupporting means, each of said tined support means including asupporting shaft means rotatably mounted in said mounting means and aplurality of groups of tines secured in'axially spaced relationship toeach of said shaft means, the groups of tines of immediately adjacentshafts being closely spaced longitudinally of the support means todefine a substantially continuous tined support surface for supportingof individual food bases, each group of tines being circumferentiallyspaced about the shaft means and spaced from each other to permitconvenient cleaning, drive means connected to rotate said supportingshaft means to continuously move the flat base members in a longitudinaldirection thereon, and food feed means overlying said main feed conveyorfor feeding food upon the top of said base members.

2. In the distributing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tines areradially extending and substantially rigid pin means.

3. The distributing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality ofsupport shaft means are longitudinally spaced in a common plane, and allof said tines are of equal length and equicircumferentially spaced aboutthe shaft means and projecting radially outwardly to establish saidsubstantial spacing between the individual tines to pemrit completecleaning of the base supporting means.

4. The distributing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive meansincludes a drive gear on the corresponding end of each shaft means, anda drive chain coupled to all of said drive gears to synchronously rotatesaid shaft means.

5. The distributing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tines each have alength in excess of one-half the distance to the adjacent shaft means tooverlap with the adjacent tines, and said drive means being coupled tosaid shaft means to simultaneously and correspondingly rotaishteans.

if. The istn u iing apparatus of claim 5, wherein said food feed meansincludes a pressurized sauce spray applicator having a nozzle andadapted to discharge sauce at a selected pressure over said tinedsupport means, a cheese applicator for depositing shredded cheese oversaid tined support means, and a meat applicator for depositing ofshredded meat over said tined support means.

7. The food applicator of claim 1 wherein said food feed means includesa conveying means having a discharge means, a supply means to supplymounds of a shredded food to the conveying means, leveling and meteringmeans adjacent the discharge means, and a distributing time meanslocated between said supply means and said leveling and metering meansand movable laterally across the conveying means to distribute the moundof shredded food across the conveying means.

1. In a distributing apparatus for distributing food produces and thelike upon relatively flat base members, a rotatable mounting means, afeed conveyor including a plurality of spaced tined support meanslongitudinally spaced along said feed conveyor defining a basesupporting means, each of said tined support means including asupporting shaft means rotatably mounted in said mounting means and aplurality of groups of tines secured in axially spaced relationship toeach of said shaft means, the groups of tines of immediately adjacentshafts being closely spaced longitudinally of the support means todefine a substantially continuous tined support surface for supportingof individual food bases, each group of tines being circumferentiallyspaced about the shaft means and spaced from each other to permitconvenient cleaning, drive means connected to rotate said supportingshaft means to continuously move the flat base members in a longitudinaldirection thereon, and food feed means overlying said main feed conveyorfor feeding food upon the top of said base members.
 2. In thedistributing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tines are radiallyextending and substantially rigid pin means.
 3. The distributingapparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of support shaft means arelongitudinally spaced in a common plane, and all of said tines are ofequal length and equicircumferentially spaced about the shaft means andprojecting radially outwardly to establish said substantial spacingbetween the individual tines to permit complete cleaning of the basesupporting means.
 4. The distributing apparatus of claim 1, wherein saiddrive means includes a drive gear on the corresponding end of each shaftmeans, and a drive chain coupled to all of said drive gears tosynchronously rotate said shaft means.
 5. The distributing apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said tines each have a length in excess of one-half thedistance to the adjacent shaft means to overlap with the adjacent tines,and said drive means being coupled to said shaft means to simultaneouslyand correspondingly rotate said shaft means.
 6. The distributingapparatus of claim 5, wherein said food feed means includes apressurized sauce spray applicator having a nozzle and adapted todischarge sauce at a selected pressure over said tined support means, acheese applicator for depositing shredded cheese over said tined supportmeans, and a meat applicator for depositing of shredded meat over saidtined support means.
 7. The food applicator of claim 1 wherein said foodfeed means includes a conveying means having a discharge means, a supplymeans to supply mounds of a shredded food to the conveying means,leveling and metEring means adjacent the discharge means, and adistributing tine means located between said supply means and saidleveling and metering means and movable laterally across the conveyingmeans to distribute the mound of shredded food across the conveyingmeans.